Tim Bernero, Head Coach

Tim Bernero begins his seventh season as head coach in 2009-10 (89-66, 6 years).  He is Carthage’s second all-time winningest women’s basketball coach, trailing only Diane Mizerka with 116 wins between 1968 and 1980.  Bernero, who was named interim coach in September 2003, assumed permanent duties in February 2004 after serving seven years at Carthage as an assistant men’s basketball coach.  During that time, he helped the Red Men compile a 136-49 record with three CCIW championships, three appearances in the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship and third-place national finish in 2002.  Before starting at Carthage in the 1996-97 academic year, Bernero spent nine years as an assistant men’s basketball coach, two years at Elmhurst College (1995-96), three years at North Park University (1992-94) and four years at the University of Chicago (1988-91).

A native of Buffalo Grove, Ill., Bernero graduated from Lake Forest College in 1987 with a bachelor's in business.  As a member of the men’s basketball team, he is the Foresters’ seventh all-time leading scorer.  He earned his master's in business administration from North Park in 1993.  Bernero began a four-year term on the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship Committee in 2008.  He and his wife, Rachel (Pearson) Bernero, live in Kenosha, Wis., with their daughter, Eleanor (age 12), and son, Anthony (age 8).  Rachel, a former women’s basketball player at North Park University and a four-time All-CCIW honoree between 1991 and 1994, holds CCIW records for career points (1,102), career field goals (145), career rebounds (680), season points (334 in 1994), season field goals (145 in 1994) points in a game (40 vs. Illinois Wesleyan University in 1994) and field goals in a game (16 vs. Illinois Wesleyan in 1994).

Telephone: 262-551-5713

E-Mail: tbernero@carthage.edu

Denae Fisher, Assistant Coach

Denae Fisher begins her first year as an assistant coach in 2009-10. Fisher served as graduate assistant coach at Bemidji State University in 2008-09 after two seasons as a student assistant. A native of International Falls, Minn., played basketball at Rainy River Community College before transferring to Bemidji State for her junior and senior seasons. She graduated from Bemidji in 2007 with a double major in health and physical education.

Katie Jarger, Student Assistant Coach

Katie Jarger will serve as a student assistant coach in 2009-10 after a four-year playing career with the Lady Reds.  A native of Chicago, Jarger played for Carthage from 2006 to 2009 and was named second-team All-CCIW in 2007, 2008 and 2009.  Jarger finished her career ranked 12th in career scoring (1,124 points), 10th in field goals (429), fifth in field-goal percentage (.483), third in three-point field goal percentage (.333), second in free-throw percentage (.798) and fifth in blocks (83).  Jarger will graduate in 2009 with a double major in elementary education and special education.

John Weiser, Radio "Voice of the Red Men and the Lady Reds"

John Weiser begins his ninth season in 2009-10 as the “Voice of the Red Men” and his sixth season as the “Voice of the Lady Reds” on WRJN-AM Radio in Racine, Wis.  Weiser is a familiar voice in the Kenosha-Racine sporting community, doing play-by-play for local high school football and basketball since 1990.  He’s been with WRJN-AM since 1999.  A native of Kenosha, Wis., and a graduate of St. Joseph High School, Weiser did cable access television play-by-play for the Midwest League Kenosha Twins from 1988-1992 and radio for the Kenosha Kroakers between 1994 and 1995.  He is also the host of All-Star Bowling on WPXE TV out in Milwaukee and has served as afternoon drive co-host on ESPN radio, also in Milwaukee.  In addition to his radio duties, Weiser is the recruitment coordinator for the Carthage College School of Professional Studies and coach of the school’s club bowling team.  Weiser received his bachelor’s in business administration from Marian College (Wis.) in 1992.  He and his wife, Gina, and their 13-year old daughter, Rebecca, reside in Waterford, Wis.

Rachel Schlesinger, Part-Time Assistant Coach

Rachel (Newman) Schlesinger begins her sixth year as a part-time assistant coach in 2009-10 after serving as a graduate assistant coach in 2004.  A native of Madison, Wis., Schlesinger had a four-year playing career with the Lady Reds from 2000-03, and she finished her playing career as Carthage’s seventh-leading scorer with 1,364 points.  Schlesinger was named honorable mention Kodak/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American and first-team All-CCIW in 2003, first-team All-CCIW in 2002 and third-team all-conference in 2001.  She was also named CCIW all-academic in both 2001 and 2002.  Schlesinger graduated from Carthage in 2003 with a bachelor’s in exercise and sport science, and she received her master’s in education, also from Carthage, in 2007.  She teaches at Clearview Elementary School in Waukegan, Ill.